Filled bag settling and shaping method and apparatus



May 31, 1938. 2,119,174

FILLED BAG SETTLING AND SHAPING METHOD AND APPARATUS M. A. NICOLAS Filed July 1, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l 1 R y 5 m mm m R 1 MN w G Z L \N m A M May 31, 1938. M. A. NICOLAS 2,119,174

FILLED BAG SETTLING AND SHAPING METHOD AND APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheeh 2 Filed July 1, 1956 A May 31, 1938.

M. A. NICOLAS FILLED BAG SETTLING AND SHAPING METHOD AND APPARATUS May 31; 1938.

A. NICOLAS FILLED BAG SETTLING AND SHAPING METHOD AND AIFPARA'JIUS Filed July 1,

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My 417 Mi 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 hmaa INVENTOR A. lV/C' 01 AJ ATTORNEY Patented M y 31, 1933 PATENT ()FFICE FILLED BAG SETTLING AND SHAPING METHOD AND APPARATUS Marcel A. Nicolas, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Consolidated Packaging Machinery Corporation, Bufl'alo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 1, 1936, Serial No. 88,388

14 Claims.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus fcir compacting and shaping the contents of flexible containers, particularly paper bags designed .to hold up to several pounds of materials such as coffee, sugar, cocoa, flour, rolled oats, cereals, or the like. Particular utility for the present invention is realized in the formation of one to ten pound packages of flour or other powdered materials. It is to be appreelated, however, that the present invention would be equally of use in the formation of smaller or larger packages and in the packaging of granular materials.

It has long been a major problem in certain industries to devise means to form firm packages having tight seals. One reason for previous inability to form a seep-proof seal on flour packages is that the contents of the bag could not be so firmly compressed as to form a rigid backing against which to press the folded and glue-coated portion of the bag forming the closure. It is common knowledge that, in order perfectly to seal a package by means of adhesive, pressure must be applied to the closure while the adhesive isobtaining its first set, otherwise portions of the bag material spring away from each other and the adhesive dries ineffectually. It has therefore been the constant aim in packaging to be able firmly to press the folds or plies of the closure together immediately after the application of adhesive and until the adhesive has set sufliciently to hold the folds or plies together after the release of pressure. It is apparent that in order to achieve this object with certain types of to press the closure.

that an increase in the number or force of blows would correspondingly increase'the compactness of the package. This would be true except for the fact that after a certain degree of compactness is achieved by means ,of blows .struck against the bottom or the sides 'of the bag any further blows tend to move the entire bag and its enclosed charge as. a unit without atfecting relative displacement between the particles within the bag. Hence, there is a certain minimum number of blows which achieve all that can be achieved by blows alone. It would likewise be a logical conclusion that in order to speed production it would be effective to strike a great number of blows in a short period of time. I have discovered, on the contrary, that in order for the material to become compacted sufllcient time must elapse between blows for the particles to separate and permit the escape of trapped air and then to settle into engagement with each other. Accordingly, the blows must be spaced over a substantial period of time. An object of the invention is to provide means for striking the minimum number of jogging blows over a substantial period of time while continuously feeding the filled bag forward in order that the production of completed packages will not be delayed.

In the packaging of many commodities of the type particularly exemplified by fiour it has been found that there is a certain point beyond which jogging of the filled bag will not afiect any settlement of the contents. After this point is reached any further jogging merely has the efiect of raising the bag and its contents withoutaffecting displacement between the particles of the contents. This may be due to the formation-of compacted layers between which air is entrapped, or it may be due to the formation of zones of vibration within the contents, or it may be due to the fact that the contents are of such a light nature that no appreciable momentum can be imparted to its individual particles. As evidenced by frequent explosions in flour mills it is apparent that the light particles tend to float in the air rather than to settle and permit the air to escape. The present invention overcomes this objectionable characteristic by subjecting the contents of the bag to alternate compression and release of compression in a direction transverse to the direction of the force imparted by the jogging motion. By means of e'ccentrically mounted, parallel side boards mounted above the jogging mechanism coextensive pressure is applied to the opposite sides of the bag ateach revolution of the eccentric mounting. The timing of the side pressure mem- -bers is preferably such as to apply pressure to the sides of the bag after at least two jogging .Jalows have been struck and while the bag is not -To do this any air entrapped with the material must be expelled. In packing granular material tween particles tend to allow air to escape when the material is agitated. Previous mechanisms and methods attempted to accomplish the desired result by rapidly and violently agitating the con tents, upon the assumption that the air is liberated by such agitation. The lighter and fluffier the material being packaged .the faster the bag would be vibrated. However, I have observed that actually there is no appreciable correction of the looseness of the mass but on the contrary some materials even become more loosely packed due to the tendency of the vibrating particles-of material to float in the air. The common methods of agitating comprise shaking, vibrating or pounding the bottom of the container, and in some cases supplementing this by tapping or rolling the sides of the container. This appears suitable for large bags containing granular materials dropping it so violently as actually to cause the bag to bounce as an entirety. This action is re-' peated at spaced intervals. The number of jarring actions is considerably less than has heretofore been the practice so that instead of rapidly vibrating the material it is alternately jarred and permitted to fall or settle. At timed intervals with respect to the jarring actions the sides of the bag are subjected to squeezing pressure by fiat, parallel members which tend not only to shape the bag but to break up the material and cause cracks to appear therein through which the entrapped air may escape. The timing of the device is such that at least two, three, or preferably four, jars occur to one squeezing action. The extent of the compressing movement is such that pressure is smoothly applied and held for a longer duration than with previous side vibrating members. The timing of the side pressing members with respect to the jarring mechanism is such thatthe bag is caught in mid-air and the side pressing is accomplished while the bag is suspended free of the jarring mechanism.

A further advantage of the present invention is that the eccentrically mounted side boards are operated in such a manner as to move forward when in engagement with the bag and to move backward while disengaged, thereby permitting the application of pressure to the sides of the bag while furthering the progress of the bag through the jarring mechanism.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means to form a substantially rectangular package or, if desired, a parallel-sided bag having rounded ends. This object is accomplished by spacing the side boards so that at their point of closest approach the distance between the boards is substantially equal to the width of the end of the bag being filled and closed. At each compressing movement of the side boards the contents of the bag are therefore positively compressed to about they minimum thickness which would be realized if the bag were rigidly rectangular, and each time it is released the side walls of the bag tend to bulge to a lesser extent as the contents become compacted. This 2,119,174 this is not very difiicult because the voids beis of great advantage in that it forms a substantially rectangular package having greater ey appeal and having better packing qualities. This is also of great advantage in forming the closure for the end of the bag, since the closer the contents are to becoming rectangular the easier it is to form a perfect seal. Since modern production methods demand rapid packaging and the present invention is primarily designed to be used at the inlet end of an automatic closure forming machine, it can be seen that the rapid formation of an approximately square package is extremely important to the efllclent operation of such a machine.

The primary object therefore of the present invention is to bring about the production of eiilciently sealed, substantially rectangular packages. Thepresent invention has been found to form a seven pound package approximately one inch shorter than packages submitted to jogging alone.

The objects and advantages of th present invention will be more apparent from the following specification taken in connection .with the accompanying drawings wherein like parts are referred to by like numerals throughout.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view looking at the right end of Fig. 1, the view being taken upon an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1, in which a portion has been broken away;

Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of the side compressing members in operation upon a bag being fed through the mechanism; I

c Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a modified portion of the mechanism;

Fig. '7 is an end view of a filled bag as itempreaches the pressing and shaping mechanism; Fig. 8 is a side view of the bag shown in Fig. '7; Fig. 9 is a top view looking down into the bag of Figs. '7 and 8 as it would appear if the material were removed therefrom;

Fig. 10 is a side view showing bags approach- I ing the pressing and shaping mechanism;

Fig. 11 is a typical top view of a bag formed by the present invention as it would appear if the material were removed therefrom;

Fig. 12 is a similar view of a slightly modified shape of bag which can be formed by the present invention, if desired; and

Fig. 13 is a similar view of an extreme form which can be formed by the present invention.

The machine comprises a frame consisting of vertical legs 20 braced by horizontal members 2! and 22 and supporting a pair of spaced angle bars 23 and 24, with the horizontal legs of the angles turned outward. A pulley 25 is mounted between the bars 23, 24 at the outlet end of the frame and an idler roll 26 is mounted in a similar position at the other end of the frame. The inner vertical legs of the angle irons 23 and 24 are Joined by braces 21 on whichare mounted pads 28, preferably formed of rubber. A jogging board 29 is positioned between the angle irons 23 and 24 and rests upon the rubber pads 28, its downwardly bevelled endsclose to the pulley 25 and roll 26. The upper surface of the board 29 is preferably higher than the upper surfaces of the pulley 25 and'roll 26. Arbelt 30 of suflicient width to support the widest bag for which the mechanism is length of board 29, and around pulley 25. Idle the belt 30, and a tensioning roll 33 keeps it under.

proper tension to be driven by the pulley 25. Pulley is driven by motor 40 through pulley 4I, belt 42, pulley 43, pulley 44, belt 45, pulley 46, sprocket 41, sprocket chain 48, sprocket 49, sprocket 50, sprocket chain 5I and sprocket 52. Belt is therefore driven at a uniform rate of speed depending upon the ratios of the pulleys and sprockets involved. a

Sprocket 41 is fixed to a sprocket 60 which drives a sprocket 6I through a sprocket chain 62. Sprocket 6| is fixed to a horizontal shaft in the middle of which is mounted a multiple jarring cam 63, in this instance provided with four high and low parts, the lifting faces being gradual and the releasing faces being abrupt.

A horizontal ,rock shaft I0 fixed to the angle irons 23, 24 carries a bellcrank 'II, one arm of which is pivoted at I2 to a bracket fixed to the lower surface of the jogging board 29. The same arm extends beyond the bracket and carries a cam following roller I3, the roller being mounted in a vertical yoke whereby adjustment of the roller vertically with respect to the axis of cam 63 may be accomplished in order to increase or decrease the extent to which the bell crank II is rocked about its axis at 10 as desired for different materials, some materials requiring less jarring than others. The weight of board 29 and the tension upon belt 30 cause cam follower 13.t,o follow the contour of cam 63 as closely as permitted. Each lifting face of the cam raises the board 29 and each vertical face permits it to drop sharply against the sound deadening pads 28, thereby causing sharp jogging blows to be struck against the bottom of the bag and bouncing the bag into the air. In order to distribute the effect of cam 63 evenly throughout the length of the jogging board, bell crank 'II is connected by link 15 to a second bell crank 16 pivoted to the frame at TI and to the jogging board at 18. During the entire time that the bag is being progressed forward over the surface of board 29 it is therefore being subjected to evenly spaced. uniform jogging blows. The pads'28 reduce noise and vibrations, and for the same reason roller 13 is preferably provided with a facing I3 of rubber or the like.

Fixed to the shaft 82 to which cam 63 and sprocket 6| are fixed is a second sprocket of the same size as sprocket 6I driving a sprocket chain which through sprocketIlI rotates a are four vertical shafts rotating at the same speed, this speed of rotation being equal to the speed of rotation of shaft 82. Each shaft completes one. revolution for every four times the bag is jarred.

Each vertical shaft 85 carries eccentrics around each of which is positioned an eccentric strap .9I bolted to a horizontal supporting bar .92, there being two such bars at each side of the machine. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the bars 92 support the side boards 93 through brackets 94 fixed to the boards, each bracket being provided with a vertical slot 95 carrying a bolt 96 rigidly attaching the bracket to the bars 92. By loosening each bolt 96 the spacing of the side boards93 may be adjusted for different sizes of bags. Spacers 95 brace the upper ends of'the shafts 85, and are supported between collars 96.

In Fig. 2 it is apparent that the side boards 93 are held above the uppermost point of movement of the board 29. Preferably the side boards comprise a lowersection 98 and an upper section 99 joined by bolts I00. If the bag being packaged is .of a relatively large size so that the level of the enclosed contents is above the board 98, the board 99 is added in order that substantially the entire contents may be compressed. However, in the packaging of smaller bags, it is desirable to remove the board 99 in order that the mouth of the bag may be observed from the side, of the machine. This is designed to permit an operator to remove any imperfect bags which may have escaped the attention of the bag filling machine operator.

The actionof the mechanism upon a filled bag is schematically represented in Fig. 4 which 7 shows a bag as it approaches the machine, having a substantially circular shape, and a bag as it leaves the machine, having a substantially ably passing through the ends of the member.

Bolts I05 are fixed to a supporting plate I06 attached to the side boards 93 and are provided with lock nuts I01, limiting the vextent to which member 94' may slide upon the bolts. I08. encircling bolts I05, are positioned between member 94' and plate I06. Adjustment of lock nuts I0'I permit alteration of the degree of compression of springs I08 and thereby cause an increase or decrease in the force necessary furt er to compress the springs. The degree of adjustment may be determined by experiment with the bag and material in use at the time in order-that a certain uniform pressure will be applied to the sides of the bag, thereby preventing breakage of the bag in case it is slightly twisted or as occasioned by other unusual circumstances. This is of importance with some materials which vary in compacting characteri ti"s from time to time. Certain materials. such as flour and'cocoa, are tremendously affected by sl ght variations in atmospheric conditions so that the density and extent to which the material can be compacted. vary from hour to hour or day to day. The resilient connection between the bars 92 and the side boards 93 afforded by the structure shown in Fig. 6 provides a safeguard against rupturing a number of bags in case of a change in the characteristics of the material being packaged.

Referring to Figs. 7 to' 13 inclusive, there is disclosed a conveyor I20 guided about a pulley 'I2I adjacent pulley 26. The gap between-conveyor I20 and belt 30 is bridged by a stationary shelf I22. The conveyor I20 brings filled bags from the filling mechanism, the bags being guided between lower and upper guide rails I25 and I26, respectively. As seen in Figs. 7 to 9,

inclusive, a rectangular bag I30 comprises side- Springs walls I3I and I32, end walls I33 and I34, and a bottom I35. The bag is fed in the direction of the long dimension of the bottom I35. Due to the outward pressure of the enclosed contents the side walls HI and I32 tend to bulge and draw the end walls I33 and I34 toward each other. The lip I36 of the bag mouth therefore tends to assume a rectangular shape of which the longer dimension is at right angles to the longer dimension of the bottom I35. This tendency is so pronounced in packaging many materials in certain types of bags that the upper guide rails I26 are spaced farther apart than the lower guide rails I25 in order that friction of belt I20 can advance the bag.

As the side boards 93 spread apart and move backward they reach toward a bag which has been deposited on the shelf I22. The bevelled ends of the boards provide suili'cient space to receive the bag and also carry out a degree of preshaping. In case the bagis not sufflciently advanced to be gripped as the side boards come together it will be pushed into position to be gripped by the succeeding bags on conveyor I20. The bags are usually fed through the conveyor I20 at such a. speed that they are substantiallyin contact with each other, but the bags may be fed at slower speeds so that they will be substantially spaced between the side boards 33. Due to the intermittent action of the side boards 93 the bags tend to become slightly spaced even when positioned adjacent each other on the conveyor I20. In the preferred embodiment of the machine, which is designed to form a package shaped as in Fig. 11, the forward movement imparted to the bags at each feeding movement of the side boards 03 while the bags are suspended above the belt is decisive and faster than the speed of belt 30 so that as the side boards separate and begin to loosen their grip on the bags the bags are slid forward so as to cause each bag to contact its neighbors. The side boards 93 in such case are preferably'adjusted so as to be slightly farther apart at the entering end so as to permit the bags at that end to slide farther than the bags at the opposite end, whereby the bags are caused to close up the spaces in the line. This action tends to flatten the ends of thebag's as shown in Fig. 11. However, by varying the speed of belt 30 bags having a shape such as shown in Fig. 12 with slightly rounded ends, or as shown in Fig. 13 with almost perfectly rounded ends, may be formed. The desirability of a rectangular bag as shown in Fig. 11 is recognized since a" closure forming machine tends toform truer, more perfect closures on such a bag. However, the bag shown in Figs. 12 and 13 will have perfect closures applied thereto by certain types of mechanisms, since the side walls are substantially parallel.

A brief rsum of the operation of the device is as follows:

Filled bags are fed endwise in upright position onto the belt 30. The cam 63, through the roller I3 and bell cranks II and I6, causes vertical reciprocation of the board 29, thereby raising the bag and dropping it at intervals. At a slower rate of speed,- preferably at the ratio of once for every four jars, the side boards 93 compress and shape the filled bag while moving the bag forward and while the bag is held suspended above the jarring board.

Modifications in arrangement and detail will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.- The true scope of the invention embraces such modifications and alterations as come within the language of the following claims.

I claim:

1. The method of compacting material in flexible containers while shaping the containers which comprises continuously feeding the containers endwise in upright'position, jarring the material vertically by raising and dropping the containers at spaced intervals, compressing the material sideways ,while the containers are suspended in mid-air between arring actions, and feeding the containers slightly faster while compressing the same than while jarring the same in order that the containers will be caused more closely to contact each other thereby to square the end walls of the container.

2. The method of compacting material in flexible containers while shaping the containers which comprises continuously feeding the containers endwise in upright position, jarring the material vertically by raising and dropping the containers at spaced intervals, compressing the material sideways while the containers are suspended in mid-air between jarring actions and feeding the rearmost containers slightly faster than the foremost containers while the same are in mid-air in order that the containers will be caused more closely to contact each other thereby to square the end walls of the container.

3. The method of compacting material in flexible containers while shaping the containers which comprises continuously feeding the containers endwise in upright position, jarring the material vertically by raising and dropping the containers at spaced intervals, compressing the material sideways while the containers are suspended in mid-air between jarring actions, and feeding the containers slightly faster while compressing the same than while jarring the same and feeding the rearmost containers slightly faster than the foremost containers while the same are suspended in mid air in order that the containers will be caused more closely to contact each other thereby to square the end walls of the container.

4. Apparatus for compacting and shaping the contents of a filled bag which comprises a pair of spaced substantially parallel side compressing boards, eccentrics to which said board are connected and means to drive said eccentrics'at the same speed, the eccentrics to which one board is connected being rotated in one direction and the eccentrics to which the opposite board is connected being rotated in the opposite direction whereby said boards are caused to approach toward and recede from each other at the same rate of speed while maintaining their parallel relation to each other, a driven belt upon which a filled bag may be supported and conveyed between said boards, means to drive said belt in the direction of movement of said boards when closest to each other, a jarrlng'board over which said beltpasses, and means vertically to raise and drop said jarring board and the section of the belt in engagement therewith, said last means operating at such a speed with respect to said eccentrics as to raise said board a plurality of times for each rotation of said eccentrics.

5. Apparatus for compacting and shaping the contents of a filled bag which comprises a pair of spaced parallel side compressing boards, eccentrics to which said boards are connected and means to drive said eccentrics at the same speed, the eccentrics to which one board is connected being rotated in one direction and the eccentrics I the eccentrics to which one board is connected being rotated in one direction and the eccentrics to which the opposite board is connected being rotated in the opposite direction whereby said boards are caused to approach toward and recedefrom each other at the same rate of speed while maintaining their parallel relation to each other, and resilient connections between said boards and said eccentrics, said connections comprising springs adjustably mounted so as-to vary the compression thereof.

7.Apparatus for compacting the contents of containers which comprises a jarring board, a belt passing over said board for supporting and conveying an upright filled bag thereover, means to raise and drop said board uniformly throughout its length comprising a rotating cam and a cam follower, a lever carrying said cam follower and connected to said board, and. adjustable means connecting said cam follower to said lever whereby to vary the height to which said board is raised.

8. Apparatus for compacting and shaping the contents of flexible containers comprising a pair of spaced substantially parallel side compressing boards, eccentrics to which said boards are connected and means to drive said eccentrics at the same speed, the eccentrics to which-one board is connected being rotated in one direction and the eccentrics to which the opposite board is connected being rotated in the opposite direction whereby said boards are caused to approach toward and recede from each other at the same rate of speed while remaining in substantial parallelism, andmeans to convey a series oi? filled flexible containers endwise in upright relation into the space between said boards at one end, said boards intermittently gripping and conveying said containers while adjacent theircloses't point of approach, said boards at said end of introduction of containers therebetween being slightly farther apart than at the opposite end whereby the containers are caused to close up any gaps therebetween while passing between said boards.

9. Apparatus for compacting and shipping the contents of fiexiblecontainers comprising a pair of spaced substantially parallel side compressing boards, eccentrics to which said boards are connected and means to drive said eccentrics at the same speed. the eccentrics to which one board is connected being rotated in one direction and the eccentrics to which the opposite board is connectedbeing rotated in the opposite direction whereby said boards are caused to. approach toward and recede from each other at the same rate of speed while remaining in substantial parallelism, means to convey a series of filled flexible containers endwise in upright relation into the space between said boards at one end, said boards gripping and conveying said containers while adjacent their closest point of approach,

- said boards at said end of introduction of containers therebetween being slightly farther apart than at the opposite end whereby the containers are caused to close up any gaps therebetween while passing between said boards, and means to 11. The method of compacting material in containers comprising: progressing a series of filled containers along a path, raising and dropping said containers to subject the same to a series of impacts while progressing along said path, and periodically interrupting the series of impacts while continuing the progress of the containers along said path.

l2. The method of compacting material in containers comprising: progressing a series of filled containers along a path, raising and dropping said containers to subject the same to a series of impacts while progressing along said path, periodically interrupting the series of impacts, and laterally compressing the material within the containers during such periods of interruption.

13. Apparatus for compacting material in containers comprising: means for continuously progressing a series of filled containers along a path, means for alternately raising and dropping said containers to subject the material therein to a series of impacts, and means for periodically interrupting the series of impacts and for laterally compressingthe material within said containers during such periods of interruption;

at least one cycle of operation of said raising and,

dropping. means.

MARCEL A. NICOLAS. 

